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Cutting the Plywood

Amy cuts the plywood for the mobile room divider.

From "Freeform Furniture"
episode DFFF-203

Host Amy Devers outlines the mobile room divider project, and then she makes a cut list for the plywood and marks the measurements.

She cuts the plywood with a circular saw and a table saw.

Amy creates the plan for the mobile room divider.

This unique room divider becomes an unobtrusive part of the decor that coincides with the modern interior theme of the apartment. Amy incorporates plywood, copper sheeting, steel ball castors and horse tail plants to create this woodworking project.

Materials:

3/4" shop grade plywood
ruler
clamp
oil-based gloss enamel
oil-based primer
paint roller
lacquer masking tape
220-grit sandpaper
screws
yellow wood glue
24-gauge copper sheeting
grease pencil
60-grit sandpaper
2-part epoxy with applicator
eye protection
metal degreaser
clean rag
liver of sulfur patina
steel wool
wax
ball transfers
planter boxes
horsetail plants

Tools:

clamp
circular saw
aluminum guide rail
table saw
cross cut sled
clamp
cordless drill
metal cutting sheers
orbital sander
J roller
router
flush trim bit
file
awl

Figure A

Figure B

Cutting the Plywood

Note: The main box structure of the room divider is made out of 3/4" shop grade birch plywood. This wood doesn't expand and contract like hardwood. Since the whole thing will be covered with paint and copper, you don't need the labor or the expense of hardwood. A paint grade plywood means that the surface is smooth enough for a painted finish but not pretty enough for a stain. The smooth surface is critical on this project because any inconsistencies could potentially telegraph through the copper sheeting.

The first thing you need to do is to make a cut list. You will be able to get all of the pieces of the room divider out of a sheet and a half of plywood.
Mark the measurements for the front and back section of the room divider.
Align the guide rail with the marks and clamp it into place.
Note: Amy uses the aluminum guide rail with a special circular saw (figure A). The saw has a groove on the bottom that makes it run specifically on a track. It will help assure a nice straight cut for the angled front and back of the divider. If you don't have a system like this you can just use a straight edge fence and a regular circular saw.
After the front and back panels for the divider are cut, take the more manageable sheet of plywood to the table saw. Cut the room divider components to width making sure to keep the plywood flush with the fence.
Use a cross cut sled on the table saw to cut everything to length (figure B). Cross cutting means to cut against the grain, and that is what the cross cut sled is designed for.
The sled has tracks on the bottom that run in grooves and a fence that holds the wood nice and perpendicular to the blade.
Align the plywood flush against the fence and make marks so the cuts are accurate.
Push the plywood through the blade.
Repeat the measuring and cutting process until you have all the plywood cut down to length for the room divider.